Post Office mishaps

The Jan. 18 Press reported on the vehicular damage to the Vadnais Heights Post Office (“Post office closed until further notice”) – the second time that office has had windows broken out and boarded up in recent memory. These events have curtailed operations at that office, in a city of 13,000 residents, causing postal patrons to drive elsewhere to collect mail, mail parcels out and buy stamps. This at a time when mailing items at boxes after the last pickup is deemed risky. Is it not time to install steel or iron anti-“smash-and-grab” pilings, those vertical, anti-damage structures used by Best Buy, supermarkets and other stores? While representing an expense, it would be a way to avoid business disruptions, the cost of hiring a multi-person glass replacement crew and the lost pay of clerks who cannot be scheduled to work the counters in a closed office.

Sandy Waterman Vadnais Heights

RAMSEY COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORTS

The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office reported the following selected incidents in Vadnais Heights and White Bear Township:

Vadnais Heights

• Residents in the 900 block of Evergreen Court reported their Waste Management trash can was stolen overnight Dec. 14-15.

• A bag containing an unknown crystalized substance was reported found Dec. 15 on the floor near one of the cash registers at a business in the 800 block of County Road E. Ramsey County Sheriff's Office deputies collected the item to be placed into custody for destruction.

• Top Ten Liquors in the 9001 block of County Road E on Dec. 16 reported two bottles of liquor, valued at $25 each, stolen from the store Dec. 16. A Keep Our Police Safe (KOPS) alert was issued for the getaway vehicle.

• The two front tires of a vehicle were reported slashed at 1 a.m. Dec. 17 while it was parked in a driveway in the 3300 block of Greenbrier Street.

• The driver’s-side passenger window of a vehicle parked in the 900 block of Greenhaven Drive was reported smashed in Dec. 17. Nothing was noticed to be missing from the vehicle, however.

• The Walmart store in the 800 block of County Road E on Dec. 17 reported felony theft by one of its employees. The case is under investigation.

• A Maplewood woman, 51, was cited at the Walmart Dec. 17 for misdemeanor theft after she was detained by loss prevention personnel for under-ringing $172.11 in merchandise and passing all points of sale.

• A Minneapolis man, 36, was arrested for possession of stolen property Dec. 17 at an unnamed big-box store in the 900 block of County Road E after deputies were called out to the scene of suspicious activity by a potential shoplifter. The suspect was seen entering and exiting the store a number of times and accessing a vehicle stolen out of Oregon.

White Bear Township

• A North Branch man, 35, was arrested Dec. 12 in the 2500 block of Taylor Avenue for violating a harassment restraining order.

• A Circle Pines man, 31, was arrested on multiple Ramsey County warrants Dec. 14 in the 1100 block of County Road J after deputies assisted the Centennial Lakes Police Department.

• An Amazon delivery driver was reported for a hit-and-run accident Dec. 14 after he struck a garage in the 2500 block of South Shore Boulevard a nd left the scene. After striking the garage, the white box van pushed the wall in approximately 12 feet between the two overhead doors. The i ncident number was needed to file a claim with Amazon.

• A St. Paul man reported the catalytic converter stolen from a Toyota Tundra Dec. 15 while it was parked in an employee lot at the Water Gremlin on Otter Lake Road.

• A gym workout bag was reported stolen from a vehicle parked overnight Dec. 16-17 in a driveway in the 4000 block of White Bear Parkway a fter the front passenger window was smashed in.

• Disorderly conduct was reported Dec. 17 outside the movie theater in the 1100 block of County Road J. The case has been referred to the city attorney for consideration of charges.

• A Medina man, 20, was arrested for third-degree DWI and test refusal Dec. 19 on Highway 61 and County Road E after deputies were dispatched out to the scene of a male passed out behind the wheel of his vehicle.

• A resident in the 1100 block of County Road D reported that a package delivered to his apartment f ront entryway at 2:27 p.m. Dec. 20 was stolen by the time he returned home at 5:30 p.m. FedEx video has been obtained, and the apartment complex video may also have suspect information. The case is under investigation.

• D eputies assisted with a K-9 probable-cause search Dec. 20 of a vehicle in the area of I-694 and Highway 61 and found one pound of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and unidentified pills. All were turned over to the other agency.

• A Richfield man, 64, was arrested at 11:49 p.m. Dec. 21 in the area of Highway 96 and McMenemy Street for driving after cancellation due to b ehavior inimical to public safety after deputies were called to the scene of a stalled vehicle.

White Bear Lake Police Reports

The White Bear Police Department reported the following selected incidents:

• Shots were reportedly fired Jan. 11 in the 3400 block of Highway 61.

• T heft was reported Jan. 11 in the 1900 block of Eugene Street with a $420 loss. There are no suspects as of press deadline.

• A W hite Bear Lake man was arrested for third-degree DWI Jan. 11 and booked at the Ramsey County Jail.

• A n officer was dispatched to the 5000 block of Wood Avenue Jan. 12 after a license plate was stolen.

• A disturbance noise complaint was reported Jan. 12 in the 4800 block of Centerville Road.

A n Oakdale man was arrested Jan. 12 for third-degree DWI in the 2700 block of County Road E.

• A victim reported her identity was used on Jan. 9 at a store in Maplewood, with a total loss of $60. There was no probable cause for charges as of press deadline.

• T wo motor vehicles were stolen Jan. 12 in the 1800 block of C ounty Road E. The State Patrol recovered one, though the other is still missing.

• L ewd behavior was reported Jan. 12 in the 4700 block of Highway 61.

• Disorderly conduct was reported Jan. 12 near the intersection of County Road E and Century Avenue.

• O fficers responded to the 3500 block of Century Avenue Jan. 12 for a noise disturbance.

• F raud was reported Jan. 13 in the 3400 block of Century Avenue.

• Police received a report Jan. 13 that a storage unit in the 1800 block of Buerkle Road had been broken into back in December 2022. There was no suspect information as of press deadline.

• Online fraud was reported Jan. 13 of a $318.58 attempted purchase. There was no loss, and t he suspect was unidentified. Attempted theft of a catalytic converter was reported Jan. 13 in the 2000 block of Dotte Drive.

• A 48-year-old North St. Paul man was booked at the Washington County Jail Jan. 14 for first-degree DWI and driving after h aving his license canceled for being inimical to public safety. He also had three previous DWIs within the 10-year enhancement period. The incident occurred following a traffic stop near Hadley Avenue and Highway 36.

• A DWI was reported Jan. 14 during a traffic stop at the intersection of Buerkle Road and Highway 61.

• A n officer responded to a report of motor vehicle theft Jan. 14 in the 2000 block of County Road E East. The reporting person’s vehicle was stolen from the parking lot within the previous 10 minutes at an estimated $20,000 loss. The suspect was unidentified as of press deadline.

• O fficers were dispatched to a noise disturbance Jan. 15 in the 4900 block of Highway 61.

• T heft by swindle was reported Jan. 15 in the 3500 block of Century Avenue. The victim sent money for Vikings tickets that were never mailed, at a $150 loss.

• A d river was arrested and booked at the Ramsey County Jail Jan. 15 for second-degree DWI. The arrest happened after an officer responded to a report of a vehicle stuck in a snowbank in the 3900 block of Highland Avenue. An infant was in the vehicle at the time of the incident.

T he suspect refused to be tested for alcohol consumption.

• O fficers responded to a report of a female trespassing Jan. 15 in the 1400 block of Park Street. The suspect was gone when officers arrived, and they were unable to locate her.

• F raud was reported Jan. 16 in the 3500 block of Century Avenue.

• O fficers responded to a dispute reported Jan. 16 in the 1900 block of Florence Street.

• A storage unit burglary was reported Jan. 16 in the 1800 block of Buerkle Road. There were no reported losses and no suspect information as of press deadline.

• A missing person report was issued Jan. 16 in the 1900 block of Ninth Street. The investigation continues, and no foul play i s suspected.

• Disorderly conduct was reported Jan. 17 in the 3500 block of Century Avenue.

• A noise complaint was reported Jan. 17 in the 1700 block of County Road E.

• C riminal damage to property was reported Jan. 18 in the 4600 block of Centerville Road.

• T heft was reported Jan. 18 in the 3600 block of Hoffman Road.

• A n officer responded to a theft report Jan. 18 in the 1400 block of Highway 96. The theft is a $112 loss, and one suspect remains unidentified.

• O fficers responded to a robbery Jan. 18 in the 1900 block of Buerkle Road. There were no injuries, and one suspect remains u nidentified.

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